Epica 5 point 0
by Lyaksandra
Summary: Thus, the Goddess descended amongst them in all her radiant glory, and the frost of a thousand glaciers befell them in her wake. The reclamation had already begun, and they were hopeless to stop it.


**EPICA 5.0**

Spring has returned, and the Southern Isles are positively beautiful in this season. There are flowers everywhere! Hills and more hills covered of green grass dotted by beautiful reds, yellows and blues all the way to where the eye can see. Which in my case is not very much.

Such beautiful vistas wasted on these people! Anyway, it's not like I can see that much nowadays, not since arriving one month ago. This tiny window barely allows any sunlight inside this dank and gloomy cell. I've actually taken to stick my face into it as far as it goes just to have a glimpse of the radiant scenery outside. Anything to lighten up the mood from time to time.

Indeed, I've been thrown in the dungeons beneath Castle Westerguard, and no, it wasn't anything I did. I swear! The traitorous family of that man—whose name I rather not think about—sent an official missive to Elsa and asked her to send an emissary. In the letter, they stated their willingness to discuss a royal public apology for the actions of their youngest member, and also offered compensation in the form of trade arrangements between our two kingdoms. An exchange that was supposed to be more beneficial for Arendelle than for the Southern Isles.

Were it not because they seemed sincere, and we believed it, Elsa would've never considered replying to the letter at all. Maybe we made ourselves believe it, now that we had cut all ties with Weselton and our trading wasn't faring so well. She even thought that sending me, her own sister, would be seen as a gesture of good will and would solidify our relationship, in spite of what happened after Elsa's coronation. It certainly didn't ruin their plans to blackmail Arendelle one way or another in order to force our kingdom into conceding its rulership to the Westerguards.

Oh my God! How I hate them! Every single one of them. Doesn't matter if they're like thirty people! And now I'm pacing. Great, just great. I need to sit down and calm myself or I'm going to start sweating, and then I'm going to die of dehydration! This tiny room is way too hot and humid and the guards haven't brought me any water for days! I take deep breaths, trying to push the panic down, but it doesn't do much good. Elsa is going to come all the way down here to rescue me, only to find a shriveled corpse inside a stinking dungeon! That won't do at all. Because she is coming to rescue me, right?

Right?!

A couple hours later, after finally managing to drive the crazy thoughts away, I decide that going to sleep is a very good idea. Of course Elsa is coming for me. It's just that the tiredness, the tattered dress, the hunger and the thirst are putting ideas in my head. And the worst thing of all is the lack of any chocolate whatsoever for an entire month. An entire month! That's what has me in this state, obviously. Those misers! Not even a single piece of chocolate in all this time?!

Oh dear, I'm breathing heavily again. Huffing and puffing as if I had been running all day long. I resort to telling myself, repeatedly, to calm down and to try sleeping the day away. At least the nights are still cool. Then, I will be able to pace to my heart's content. Yeah, now that's a plan! Time to start counting snowmen.

When I finally wake up, I am startled to find out that it's actually the following morning and that there's a biting cold seeping into my skin. Not only that, but I can also hear howling winds outside. To my sleep addled my mind, it sounds like those demons of the night winds that I've read about in horror stories. The thought makes me shudder, but I know better.

I manage to raise myself from the hard stone slab that is supposed to be a bed. Everything in my body seems to creak and ache, but I still run to the window and eagerly push my face into it. She's here and I know it. Even if I can't see anything because what greets me on the other side of the opening is just white upon more white.

The walls around me begin rumbling, and I can see the stones shaking as if afraid. And I must say that they have reason to be. They are not safe from what's traversing the storm, only I am. Above me surges a terrible, deafening boom, startling me. Then there's another, and then another, and even though I have never heard a single cannon fire, I am quite sure that this is what it must sound like when they fire entire fusillades in rapid succession.

After a while of this, it suddenly dawns on me that the sound comes from the castle as it is torn apart piece by piece and turned into rubble. Not a minute later, I hear a loud rustling coming from the walls of my cell. Ice begins creeping between every crevice, pushing each of its stones away from the rest, and for the first time since I woke up, I feel fear. What if Elsa doesn't know I'm here? What if the dungeon follows whatever fate befell the castle above? What if…

I blink, and when my eyes open, the cell is gone. No longer am I surrounded by hard and moldy stones, but instead by an endless valley blanketed by snow. In front of me, with a backdrop of raging blizzard winds, is my sister Elsa. Standing there, covered only by her form-fitting ice gown, she has the appearance of a deity. For a short moment, she is both terrible and beautiful and dazzling, just like the whiteness that surrounds us. Then, she smiles the most loving smile I've ever seen on her face, and I know everything is going to be all right.

She kneels in front of me and places the thickest, coziest fur cloak around my shoulders. For some reason, I only start to notice the cold when I feel the warmth of the garment as she embraces me tightly.

When she moves away, she leaves her hands on my shoulders and tells me to look into her eyes no matter what. Her voice is all regal seriousness, like when she is being queenly back in Arendelle, and it makes me giggle. However, Elsa is having none of that and she gives me a stern look as she cups my cheek with one hand. Then, she repeats her instructions and stands up, grabbing my hands and pulling me up with her.

Never does her gaze falter from mine even though she's walking backward. The look in her eyes is so intense that she's practically keeping my own held by will alone. It's not enough, though, and my eyes begin wandering. Just as I've done countless times, I disobey what my loving sister has told me to do for my own good. Oh, she loves me so! Why must I be so overeager and stupid?

The sight around us is nothing short of utterly breathtaking, and also nightmarish. We are not alone, not by any stretch of the imagination. Charging at us from every direction is what seems to me like the entire army of the Southern Isles. Soldiers and knights run at us brandishing swords, axes, and every other manner of weapon. However, not a single one of them manages to come even close to where we are.

A gasp escapes me unintentionally when I see that they're simply disappearing into the raging winds around us. And no, I don't mean that I can't see them anymore, I literally mean that they are just disappearing into the blizzard. They are turning to dust by the dozens, or maybe even hundreds. It's as if they also had been made out of snow in the first place. This feels like being caught right in the middle of the strangest nightmare I've ever had, and with no means of escape whatsoever. My legs go weak.

Before I actually fall down, Elsa catches me with both arms and pulls me toward herself. There's no scolding in her voice when she practically begs me not to look around and to stare instead into her eyes. The problem is that although our faces are inches apart, she's not looking at me anymore, not really. I can tell that she's staring furiously at my chin, or perhaps my shoulder. My scared gasp, my disobedience, has hurt her. Again. Why add insult to injury by mentioning that after she thawed Arendelle I swore that I would never let her suffer as long as I drew breath, right?. I'm such an idiot.

When I touch her chin in an attempt to lift her face and actually meet her gaze, she tightens her embrace and apologizes. I hear her broken voice, her sobs, and then I see the tears welling and clouding the radiant blue of her eyes. At this point, I can't help berating myself once more. Just for good measure. To see if I can finally learn.

She's suffering for what others have forced her to do. Her heart is breaking into a million pieces because she thinks I won't be able to accept her after this. As if any of the things that brought us here are actually her fault, and for her alone to bear. As if she doesn't always have the best intentions toward others in mind.

Self-sacrificing, endlessly caring. This is my big sister. No matter if things went awry after she decided to send me over here, none of it can be placed solely at her feet.

I finally have the good sense to put my arms around her delicate figure, and pull her into a real hug. A warm hug. Closing my eyes, I allow soothing and reassuring words to escape my lips and flow into her ear as we stand there, in the middle of the raging storm, unmoving.

After minutes, or maybe hours, have passed, I realize that the winds have finally gone silent. I really don't know how much time has gone by, but when I open my eyes and look around, all I can see is white. There is nothing else but an endless blanket of white powder surrounding my sister and me. The forests, the city, the nearby town, the castle… It's all gone. There's not a single trace of there ever being anything else here but a valley and some hills.

It's hard to swallow as I take in the landscape, but somehow, I do manage. Both literally and figuratively. This had to be done. I have to believe it had to be so. That Elsa went to these lengths because they left her no choice. I know her, and that certainty is almost enough to reassure me. Almost.

Mustering my best smile, I pull away and capture her face between my hands. As I stare into the endless depths of her eyes, I can see that they harbor no ill intent whatsoever. As they always have. They are pure, just like the very snows that flow from her fingertips.

I release a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, and I feel myself smiling honestly now. It would seem that I just can't go a day without acting senselessly! Well, once we return to Arendelle, there will be time for me to feel bad about doubting my sister. Then, I can grovel all I want. Although, maybe after eating some chocolate first. Yeah, now that's a plan!

Moving away from Elsa, I grab her hand and begin walking, pulling her behind me. It's time for us to go back home.

**FIN**


End file.
